I Became A Magic Genius

The older guard rubbed his temples, exhaling heavily.

The younger guard had already given up, completely unable to resist Yao Yao's overwhelming cuteness.

"…Fine," the older one finally relented. "One. More. Try."

Yao Yao beamed instantly, her sorrow vanishing in a blink.

"Thank you, Uncle! I knew you were the kindest person in the world!" she chirped, clasping her hands together like an angel descended from the heavens.

Rong Xi smirked, his golden eyes glinting. "She's unbelievable," he murmured.

Beside him, Vino—cloaked in black—rubbed his forehead in confusion. "…This child has no shame," he muttered.

Rong Xi chuckled. "No. She simply has strategy."

Yao Yao took a step back, her tiny fists clenched, her face deadly serious as she rolled her small shoulders with determination.

Alright. I have to go all out!

She closed her eyes, drawing magic into her palms. A familiar pulse thrummed in her chest, her hands warming with white light.

There's no way...absolutely no way that I don't have a spirit.

She refused to believe it.

She is a reincarnated soul, born into a powerful magical lineage, and blessed with an undeniably cute face.

The portal had responded to her. She could feel it. There had to be a spirit out there waiting for her.

She is a hidden genius. She just had to be.

"I mean, come on," she muttered under her breath.

There was no other explanation.

She opened her eyes wide, her hands glowing brighter, the light swirling around her fingers like a storm gathering force. Her hair fluttered in the magic-charged air.

This time—

She needed a different approach.

And so—

With the utmost sincerity, she began to chant.

"I am a very cute girl."

A pulse of light flickered around her fingertips.

"I am so adorable..."

A small sphere of energy swirled in her palms, pulsing with growing confidence.

"…how could any of you not want me..."

The portal seemed to shudder, as though recoiling from her words.

"Please, spirits, come to me..."

Yao Yao narrowed her pink eyes, pouring more determination into her magic.

A spark of power erupted deep within her, and a tiny magic ball began to form, shining brightly in her palms.

The guards exchanged nervous glances.

The crowd stared, speechless.

Atop the arena, Rong Xi nearly choked on air.

Did she just—

Vino froze, his jaws dropping. "…What kind of summoning chant is this?" he muttered in horror.

Yao Yao pushed forward, undettered.

"COME TO MOMMY!!!"

With a final surge of magic, she tossed her frail energy ball towards the portal, flinging it like a baseball.

—

Spirit Realm 

Deep within the Spirit Realm, chaos erupted.

The runes etched into the pillars flickered erratically. Lanterns dimmed, then flared. The flow of magic twisted, sending shockwaves of tension across the entire domain.

Spirits hurriedly moved through the vast hallways, murmuring anxiously, their expressions tight with unspoken concern.

Something was happening and it was coming from the glasshouse.

Rui, the king's attendant, raced through the corridors, his usually composed demeanour cracked with urgency. He shoved open the glass doors, stepping into the sacred chamber where the slumbering man lay.

What he saw made his breath stopped.

The once-motionless man was now radiating immensely with uncontrollable magic. The entire glasshouse shook under the weight of the surging power, and the surrounding fairies fled in terror, their tiny wings unable to handle the thick, suffocating energy.

Rui's eyes widened.

He had never seen this before.

For centuries, the King had slept soundly, undisturbed.

But now—

The air itself trembled around him. His black hair swayed as if caught in an unseen storm. The faint glow of magic flared uncontrollably, forming jagged cracks of silver light that pulsed erratically through the space.

Rui took a slow step forward, his heart pounding.

"Your Majesty?" he whispered.

No response.

But as he looked closer—

His breath paused.

His master's eyebrows were furrowed.

A frown.

The first expression he had shown in centuries.

Something had disturbed him.

But what?

—

Back in Human Realm

Yao Yao's magical ball collided with the portal, and then—

BOOM.

A sudden, deafening crash of sound filled the air, shaking the ground below them. In an instant, a blinding light exploded outward, radiating in all directions.

Gasps filled the air as everyone stumbled back, shielding their eyes.

The guards scrambled, blinking at the suddenly surging portal. "What—?!"

The crystal, which had been calm and unresponsive just moments ago, is now pulsating violently. Glowing like a beacon, the blinding white light suddenly surged upward, piercing the sky sharply, illuminating the darkness around it.

The air crackled with a buzzing sound, like electricity running through a wire, while the ground seemed to hum beneath their feet. The light stretched higher into the sky, its brightness intensifying until it became almost unbearable to the naked eyes.

Yao Yao squinted, struggling to see through the overwhelming brightness.

Did I actually… do it?

Maybe—

Maybe she really was too cute to be ignored!

Maybe a spirit had finally answered her call!

Maybe—

CRACK.

Suddenly, the light shattered.

The swirling portal twisted inward—imploding in a piercing burst of sound, vanishing in an instant.

Before anyone could process what was happening, the entire crystal turned dark.

Silence.

Dead silence.

Everyone stared.

No one moved.

The guards' mouths hung open in pure horror.

A few commoners audibly gasped.

Yao Yao slowly dropped her hands, staring at the now pitch-black crystal. Her mind went blank as she watched the light faded into nothingness.

Wait.

What just happened?

....

"…Did she just break the portal?" someone whispered.

And Yao Yao?

She blinked.

Then blinked again.

Then, very softly—

"Oh no."

The younger guard collapsed to his knees, his face pale as he stared at the darkened and lifeless crystal. "The King is going to have my head," he whimpered, hands trembling.

A loud, uninhibited laugh erupted from above.

Everyone in the arena froze, looking upwards in surprise.

There—standing in his white robes and his golden eyes glinting in deep amusement, Rong Xi clutched his stomach, wiping a tear from the corner of his eye as he laughed, unrestrained and thoroughly entertained.

Yao Yao's entire body stiffened, she didn't even need to look to know who it was. Her entire face flushed red.

Vino stared at the darkened crystal in disbelief. "…What just happened?" he murmured. 

Rong Xi grinned, his gaze dropped back to Yao Yao, eyes brimming with fascination.

"Well," his tone light, "she just broke the summoning portal."